Giants' Brian Burns denies postgame tunnel rant was directed at DC Shane Bowen, late-game playcall

Two days after being caught on video lashing out in the tunnel on his way back to the locker room following the meltdown against the Denver Broncos, New York Giants outside linebacker Brian Burns denied that his rant was directed at defensive coordinator Shane Bowen or the decision to drop eight in coverage and only rush three on the final series. Burns had the most publicly visceral reaction of any Giants player after his team allowed 33 points in the fourth quarter of a shocking 33-32 loss.

As the Giants walked back to the visitors' locker room, James Palmer of The Athletic filmed Burns yelling about the loss, explicitly yelling about the Giants' defense clinging to a 32-30 lead in the final half minute. Needing to keep the Broncos out of field goal range, the Giants dropped eight into coverage while only rushing three at Broncos quarterback Bo Nix -- using Beau Brade and Nic Jones while Dexter Lawrence and Abdul Carter were kept on the sidelines. The lack of pass rush availed Nix enough time to find an open receiver for a 29-yard gain, instantly putting Denver at the edge of field goal range for the eventual winning score.

In Palmer's video, Burns seemed to be raging about that specific play: "Stupid ass shit, dropping eight!"

In comments made to reporters in the locker room, Burns also pointed to how the Giants were "rushing three and dropping eight" when discussing the lack of pressure sent at Nix. But Tuesday, Burns seemingly walked back his remarks, claiming that he had been taken out of context, before telling reporters Wednesday that his "dropping eight" remark was him being incredulous the Broncos had completed a pass downfield despite eight players being in coverage.

"We called a call specifically to take away that play. And the fact that Nix wasn't even trying to throw it to (Marvin) Mims and it just so happened to be completed, that's kind of like a disbelief," Burns said. "Like, 'Bro, there's no way that we dropped eight and we still couldn't stop that ball from being completed.' That's moreso where my frustration lied.

"It wasn't nothing towards the call, and that's what I tried to clear up. But people are gonna feel what they want to feel, so it is what it is."

After playing soft coverage and paying the price for it yet again, the heat is once again on Bowen, whom the Giants hired in 2024 after an explosive falling out between coach Brian Daboll and former defensive coordinator Wink Martindale. Middle linebacker and team captain Bobby Okereke tried to take the heat off of Bowen on Monday, claiming that the defense still supports its coach.

"We're all hands on deck. We're all bought in," Okereke said. "Everyone's got to look at the man in the mirror. It's easier to point the finger but from a team perspective, it's better to point the thumb and figure out what I can do better as an individual. So, that's what we're all about to do. And we're excited for this upcoming opportunity."

The Giants' collapse against the Broncos marks one of the worst meltdown losses in team history, taking its place in infamy alongside their 2002 Wild Card meltdown against the San Francisco 49ers and the "Matt Dodge Game" against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2010.